Perfect Fairytale?
by Broony
Summary: Serena’s heart hurt. It hurt every time she and Dan spent time together. It hurt knowing they could be so close and not be able touch in the way she had wanted to be touched by him. They could act like they were just friends but......


**A/N: I know this has been done many times but someone asked me for it and that someone you can blame is Jenn. Even if you don't know her you can still blame her, :P. Also, if any of you guys are reading my other fics, Sunkissed and Reach For Me i'm going to try and work on the both in the coming weeks. I promise I haven't forgot about them I just lost motivation. This hasn't been beta'd so I apologize for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy.**

"Popcorn or chips n' dip?" Serena held up both packets.

"I'll be greedy and say both" Dan flashed a 'clown' like smile which never failed to make her giggle. "So what's this movie about then?"

"You'll just have to wait and see. I still can't believe you've never watched The Notebook though".

"Well it's a chick flick so don't sound surprised. I only watch manly action movies". Dan puffed out his chest and flexed his muscles.

Serena snorted. "I don't think Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles counts as a 'manly movie'. She air quoted.

"Hey….it was the uncut version"

"Oh really? I didn't know there was an uncut version". Serena arched her brow and pouted her gloss-free lips.

"Yeah well you wouldn't because it's the equivalent to top shelf material so you wouldn't find it in the Disney section which I know you love so much".

"You can't go wrong with Pocahontas. Brilliant film". She chucked the bag of chips at the back of his head. "I hope you like crumbs". Dan sarcastically said after the collision. He picked up the DVD and flipped it over to read the synopsis. "So shall we take bets? At which big 'love declaration' am I going to fall asleep at?"

* * *

Although they had the full couch to themselves, the whole house infact, they still felt the need to sit so close to each other that their legs slightly brushed together. Dan couldn't stop his gaze drifting to the rosy cheeked, sappy looking girl beside him. She had the goofiest smile on her face watching the part of Noah and Allie walking around the empty run down house picturing how the would turn it into their dream home. Serena kept looking down at the popcorn with a twisted face which Dan found very amusing. He dipped into the fluffy sweets and picked out 2 pieces, holding them up to Serena's mouth. "What are you doing?" Serena half said half chuckled.

"I know you hate popcorny sticky fingers". Dan smiled and signaled for Serena to open her mouth. Feeling his stomach turn when her tongue accidentally made contact with the tip of his finger. She shyly turned her head back to the TV screen.

"So how are things with your dad?"

"We're working on it; I'm just taking it one step at a time you know. It's a lot to take in." Serena tucked a lose strand of hair behind her ear. A self comfort of Serena's, Dan had become aware of since once being her lover and now her best friend.

"Good; and you know that I'm always here if you need to talk to someone other than Blair ". Dan smiled and turned his gaze back to the movie.

"Thanks"

* * *

Serena's heart hurt. It hurt every time she and Dan spent time together. It hurt knowing they could be so close and not be able touch in the way she had wanted to be touched by him. They could act like they were just friends but in their hearts they knew they would never be. The truth always comes spilling out when you least expect or want it. But she did what she has always done, brushed it to the back of her mind and carried on like normal. "I love this scene, so beautiful". She smiled and took a sip of her juice. _Because I want you. I want all of you, for ever, you and me, every day_. That about sums up Dan's feelings. One sentence has never made as much sense to Dan but it's just not as simple as that sadly.

"Do you ever wish you could live your life like a movie? Where the guy you love is perfect in every way and everything works out like a perfect fairytale? You'll always get your 'happily ever after'?" Dan asked Serena.

Serena thought about her answer for a moment. "No, I don't. Nobody is that perfect; the flaws in people can be very endearing and can make you love them more. I also wouldn't want a perfect relationship, the arguments, the battles you overcome together, the struggles of real life, both the ups and the down's is what make a relationship tick, not just the love you share. I want to have those feelings, all of them, the good the bad and the ugly because they make me who I am.

Dan heavily sighed and smiled at her words. "I agree".

* * *

Dan and Serena had been hanging out together regularly, almost everyday for months now. After weeks of barely any contact they had realized just how much they had craved that comfort of just being around each other. When Serena was with Nate and Dan with Vanessa they had hardly spoken to each other. Partly due to the fact that whenever they were together everything else seemed to disappear and they forgot about the world…..and the people in it. Everyone, including Nate and Vanessa had witnessed the spark that was still very evident between them whenever they were pushed together.

Serena was the first to break their inner thoughts. "I guess you could say Nate was Lon in this story". She gave Dan a quick glance to know he had heard her. "Except I was never in love with him. I knew it was never love because what I felt for him wasn't even a fraction of my feelings for you and I knew that what I feel for you was real love. _What I still feel_. I'm a horrible person for it because I made him believe I was feeling what he was feeling for me. I just agreed with whatever he said because it was easier. It was just some long overdue fun for me and it was just easier to go along with it. I do stupid things when my head is all messed up if you hadn't noticed". They both chuckled. "I noticed".

"Did you love her, Dan?" Serena asked tentively, afraid of the answer she might and probably would get. She didn't even want to mutter her name.

Dan couldn't look her in the eye, instead continued staring at the TV screen. When he didn't reply Serena took that as a 'yes', causing a cold tremble to attack her body, her heart baring the brunt of the unwanted attack. She didn't dare ask again in the hope that she heard the answer she craved.

"Did Noah ever love Martha?" Dan finally spoke up snapping her out of her thoughts.

"No, they were having fun but they both knew that his heart belonged to someone else and forever would" Serena stumbled on the last few words.

"There's your answer" Dan said, his full attention still on the movie at hand.

Serena breathed an internal sigh of relief. That was the second time 3 little words spoken by the boy next to her had caught her off guard and made her head spin. Was he consciously aware of the double meaning his answer gave? Was I still the one who held his heart? Questions flew about her head. In stead of asking she said nothing and just laid her head on his strong shoulder. The terrible ach she had inside her still present and would be until she finally got off her chest what she had wanted to tell him.

* * *

"It wasn't over. It still isn't over". Those 7 words echoed around the room, bouncing off every wall until finally landing in her most sacred place, a place she kept under lock and key to everybody else except him, her heart. As soon as Noah and Allie backed into the wall with a loud thud, unwelcome tears fell onto Serena's cheeks. Maybe this once she would like to live life like in the movies, well just this movie, just this moment.

Dan, unaware of her silent tears sat and wished for the courage of Noah Calhoun. So bold. So brave. The love story of Noah and Allie rang true for Dan and Serena. They had both falling in love despite coming from different worlds. Both had lost that due to parental issues and interference somewhat. While Noah wrote letters Dan wrote stories. They both know what it's like to lose the love of your life at a young age and truly have their heart broken by their loss yet still somehow never truly let go of that love, in forever hope that one day they could return home and be '_birds_' once again.

Serena couldn't stand it any longer and rushed out of the Humphrey loft and into the thunderous heavy rain. She had no coat on, only a thin cardigan covering her shivering arms. The force of the rain droplets should be prickling at her skin but she never felt a thing, the only pain she felt was inside her chest.

"Serena, what the hell. You're getting soaking" Dan shouted after her. He too had no coat on just flimsy PJ bottoms and an old t-shirt.

"I don't care" Serena didn't even look back just carried on walking. Her emotions taking over she thought twice and backtracked. "Ugh, just why couldn't you do that? Why couldn't you show me like that Dan?"

"Huh? Because I'm not Ryan whatever his name is and I haven't got the skills to build a house or grow a beard like that in such a short space of time". He tried to lighten the mood but failed.

"Argh, you think this is funny? You know what I mean"

"Didn't you just say you didn't want to live life like in the movies?" Dan said. Both he and Serena were completely soaked through now. Neither acknowledging their shivering bodies. The rain was still beating down around them. They had to squint their eyes because of the heaviness of it. Almost bruising their bodies.

Serena looked up and closed her eyes letting the droplets collide with her own tears as she gently spoke. "Yes, but Dan….when it comes to you I want that fairytale ending". There. She said it, blurted it out even before she could stop herself. "I want a fairytale ending with you…..the man who still has my heart" she repeated breathlessly.

He may be finally understanding her reasons and pure desperation of wanting to watch this movie. "Serena……I…..why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't know how to. I don't know why my heart is always drawn back to you but it is." She wiped her nose and eyes against the sleeve of her cardi fighting against the blurred vision she was currently sporting. A little hiccup escaped her lips. She kept her hands held up against her face not wanting Dan to see her slightly puffy face from crying. "I still love you and I'm sorry for that. I shouldn't have said anything". She was stopped by Dan peeling away her hands from her face. Still holding onto her wrists he brought her hands close to his chest. "Don't ever be sorry for that Serena" he said forcefully. "Don't ever be sorry. I wish I had the guts to say everything you just said. You know I wrote down my feelings in a story and I thought one day I was going to mail it to you so I wouldn't have to face the rejection. I thought you were over me, long ago. A girl like you doesn't stay in love with a guy like me. I never said anything because I thought if I told you that I would scare you and I'd rather have you in my life as my friend than not at all ".

It was as if time stood still for Dan and Serena as she let his words sink in. He was still as much in love as she was. He slowly let her hands drop only to have them pressed gently against his cheeks. He followed her move and laced one hand through her hair and one on the side of her face. Even just the simple touch of his fingertips running along her jaw bone is sending waves through her spine. It had been so long since he had touched her like this and she hadn't forgot the feelings it awakened in her. She leaned in so close that she could feel his breath tickling her lips. He could just picture her smiling face through the rain. It had been over a year since they had been this close and they didn't want to waste another second. Their lips finally connected in the most tender, passionate, and loving kiss they had ever shared. The sheer intensity of their connection causing Serena to sigh deep into his mouth. Dan didn't know if it was the kiss or the heavy rain and coldness that made his whole body shiver but he had a pretty good feeling which it could be. As their hands wandered their kiss only intensified. She softly tugged at his bottom lip before pulling her mouth away.

"It was never over" Dan laughed at his own cheesiness.

"You misquoted that, but I'll forgive you" Serena snorted. "Dan, can we take it slow? I don't want to mess things up"

"Yes, we'll take it slow. One day at a time. I would like that. But I must warn you now though. I'm not very good at D.I.Y so don't be expecting a house. Maybe a pen holder would be more my style" Dan smirked. "Now please, can we go back inside because I am freezing my ass off" with that he took her hand and laced their fingers together.

Today is the start of their fairytale.


End file.
